Beverage container holder for above-ground swimming pools

ABSTRACT

A cup holder for use with an above-ground swimming pool of the type having a rigid side wall. The cup holder is formed rigid plastic and includes a beverage container retainer and a pool attachment element. The beverage container retainer includes a top wall with a cup-holding aperture. Extending downward from the front of the top wall is a connecting member which connects the top wall to a horizontal cup supporting member located underneath and parallel to the horizontal top member. Extending upward from the back of the beverage container member is another vertical member connecting to the pool attachment element. The pool attachment member comprises a horizontal shelf which rests on the ledge of the side wall of the pool. At the back of the pool attachment member and extending down is a hook for attaching the cup holder to a lip of the pool&#39;s side wall&#39;s ledge.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a cup holder or beverage container holder. More specifically, the present invention beverage container holder is utilized by attachment to the side wall of an above-ground swimming pool.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many people have above-ground back-yard swimming pools as a pool is the ideal place to cool off on a hot summer afternoon. There are several types of above-ground swimming pools. Relevant to this disclosure are above-ground swimming pools having rigid sides, as compared to inflatable sides. Typically, such above-ground swimming pools have a horizontal top ledge at the top of the side wall.

It would be an advantage if bathers would have ready access to a cool drink, whether it be alcoholic or non-alcoholic, at their disposal. It would also be advantageous if such a drink were held in position at the side wall of the pool so that the bather does not need to exit the pool for refreshment. As such, it is an objective of the present invention cup holder to position a drink at the disposal of a swimming pool bather so that the bather need not exit the pool for refreshment. It is further an objective of the present invention to position the drink outside the confines of the pool side wall and not extending out over the water, rather than interior to the pool wall. It is further an objective of the present invention to provide such a device that is reasonably easy to manufacture and to install onto the side wall of the pool. Further, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a device that can be installed onto a swimming pool with no additional hardware and without the need to puncture the walls of the pool thereby voiding any existing warranty.

Other attempts have been made to provide such a cup holder for above-ground pool use. One example of such a device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,244 B1 which was issued to Karpinski on Nov. 5, 2002. This patent shows a refreshment stand for swimming pools. In comparison with the present invention, Karpinski's invention is more complicated to manufacture and install.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features, and further scope of applicability of the present invention will be set forth in the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a cup or beverage dispenser holder for use with an above-ground swimming pool of the type having a rigid (i.e. not inflatable) side wall. The side walls of such swimming pools typically include a horizontal ledge at the top, where the ledge is perpendicular to the side wall and extends beyond it in both directions. The cup holder of the present invention is formed from Plexiglas or other rigid plastic and generally includes a beverage container retainer element and a pool attachment element. The beverage container retainer includes a top wall which includes at least one circular cup-holding aperture. Extending downward from the front of the horizontal top wall is a vertical connecting member which connects the top wall to a second horizontal cup supporting member located underneath and parallel to the horizontal top member. Extending upward from the back of the beverage container member is another vertical member connecting to the pool attachment element. The pool attachment member comprises a horizontal shelf which rests on the ledge of the side wall of the pool. At the back of the pool attachment member and extending down is a hook for attaching the cup holder to a lip of the pool's side wall's ledge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of present invention beverage container holder showing beverage cups in the beverage container holder.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the present invention beverage container holder.

FIG. 3 is side perspective view of the present invention beverage container holder.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the present invention beverage container holder.

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the present invention beverage container holder showing its installation onto the side wall of an above-ground swimming pool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a cup holder or holder for other such beverage containers that attaches to an above-ground swimming pool to provide bathers within the pool with ready access to cool drinks for refreshment. This invention is utilized in conjunction with above-ground swimming pools of the type having rigid (as compared to inflatable) side walls. Such above-ground swimming pools typically include a side wall that defines an enclosure to contain bathing water, the side wall having a horizontal upper ledge perpendicular to the side wall, which ledge extends in both directions beyond the side wall. The present invention cup holder attaches to the ledge of the said side wall of the above-ground swimming pool. The present invention beverage container holder is formed or molded from Plexiglas or other rigid plastic, although other rigid materials may be used, and in the preferred embodiment is a unitary structure but could also be formed from separate pieces of plastic attached together.

Looking at the Figures, the present invention cup holder 10 comprises generally the following two components: the beverage container retainer element 20, and the pool attachment element 40 which pool attachment element attaches the cup holder to the horizontal ledge at the top of the side wall of the pool.

The beverage container retainer element includes a horizontal top wall 22 measuring approximately 5″ by 12″ which top wall includes cup-holding apertures 24. As shown in the Figures, the present invention cup holder has three cup-holding apertures, although it is not critical that the invention include three such apertures. As such, within the scope of this disclosure are swimming pool cup holders including one, two, or even more than three such apertures so long as there is at least one. Furthermore, although the depiction the invention in the drawings shows the cup-holding apertures as being circular having a three-inch diameters, this circular configuration and diameter are not critical.

Extending downward from the front of the horizontal top wall 22 in the beverage container element is a generally vertical connecting member 26 which extends down approximately 2⅞ inches which connects the top wall to the cup-support structure 28 of the beverage container element. The connecting member extends downward from the horizontal top wall at approximately a 90° angle and then turns back under the top wall, again at approximately a 90° angle. Thus, the cup-support structure is also horizontal, lies underneath the top wall, and is thus generally parallel the top wall 22. The cup support structure is spaced approximately 2⅞ inches apart from the horizontal top wall and therefore is properly positioned so that the bottom of a cup rests upon it when the cup or beverage container is inserted into one of the cup-holding apertures. (This dimension, as with all dimensions disclosed herein is not critical.)

Now extending back up from the back of top wall of the beverage container element is another connecting member 32 which connects the beverage container element to the pool attachment member 40. The connecting member 32 extends upward approximately 2″ from the beverage container element at approximately a 90° angle and then turns back again at approximately a 90° angle to form a horizontal shelf 42 which horizontal shelf sits on top of the ledge of the side wall of the pool. As such, the horizontal shelf 42 is generally parallel to the top wall of the beverage container element 20. In the embodiment shown, the horizontal shelf 42 extends back approximately 11 inches, although this dimension could vary greatly depending on the size of the ledge on the side wall of the particular swimming pool on which the cup holder is employed.

Extending downward from the back of the horizontal shelf 42 is a hook 44 for attaching the cup holder to a lip of the ledge of the pool. The hook 44 extends downward approximately 3 inches from the horizontal shelf at approximately 90° and then back up again at an angle of approximately 45°.

The cup holder of the present invention is utilized in the following manner. The cup holder is simply positioned into place by a user with the horizontal shelf 42 situated on top of the ledge on the top of the side wall of an above-ground swimming pool. (The side wall ledge of the pool is referenced in FIG. 5 as ‘swl’.) As is understood, the beverage container retainer element 20 extends outside the perimeter of the side wall of the pool. As such, the swimmer's beverage is readily at hand near the pool walls when the bather is ready for a drink. To secure the present invention cup holder in place, the hook 44 is firmly attached to the lip of the swimming pool's ledge. The cup holder of the present invention is secured to the ledge of the pools side wall, without the need for securing brackets and without the risk of damaging the pool by drilling holes and thereby voiding any existing warranty.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles and preferred embodiment of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to one skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction, operation and embodiment shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

What is claimed:
 1. A beverage container holder for attachment to the top ledge of the side wall of an above-ground swimming pool comprising: a beverage container retainer element including a horizontal top wall, said top wall having at least one cup holding aperture, said top wall connected to a vertical connecting member, said connecting member connected to a horizontal cup-support structure situated beneath said top wall and which is spaced apart and generally parallel to said top wall, and a pool-attachment member connected to said beverage container retainer element, said pool-attachment member comprising a horizontal top shelf which is parallel to the top wall of the horizontal top wall of the beverage container element, the top shelf having a back edge, the pool attachment member including a hook extending down from said back edge of said top shelf, said hook member having a vertical member which is perpendicular to the top shelf of the pool attachment member and a angular member which extends up from said vertical member at a 45° angle, and whereby the horizontal top shelf rests on the said top ledge of the side wall of the swimming pool, the beverage container holder held in place utilizing said hook and whereby a user can place beverages into said cup holding aperture.
 2. A beverage container holder for attachment to the top ledge of the side wall of an above-ground swimming pool comprising: a beverage container retainer element including a top wall, said top wall having at least one cup holding aperture, said top wall connected to a horizontal cup-support structure situated beneath said top wall and which is spaced apart and generally parallel to said top wall, and a pool-attachment member connected to said beverage container retainer element, said pool-attachment member comprising a horizontal top shelf, the top shelf having a back edge, the pool attachment member including a hook extending down from said back edge of said top shelf, whereby the horizontal top shelf rests on the said top ledge of the side wall of the swimming pool, the beverage container holder held in place utilizing said hook and whereby a user can place beverages into said cup holding aperture. 